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Paco Plaza
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Paco Plaza

1973, Valencia, Spain

Paco Plaza holds a degree in Information Science from the Universidad de Valencia and a diploma in Cinematographic Directing from the Escuela de Cine de la Comunidad de Madrid (ECAM).

After extensive experience making high quality short films and earning numerous awards he directed Abuelitos, a magnificent fantasy short film that, in addition to many other prizes, received the award for Best Short Film at the Canal Plus Fantasy Film Festival in San Sebastian and the Canal Plus Award at the Fantasy Film Festival in Brussels. Abuelitos played to audiences at numerous festivals throughout the world, including Fantasia (Canada), Fantasporto (Portugal), Fantafestival (Roma) and L’Etrange (Paris). Later he would go on to film Puzzles, also a winner of various awards such as the INJUVE award for Best Experimental Spanish Short Film (TVE).

Paco’s first feature film was El Segundo Nombre (2002), a screenplay which he wrote with the writer Fernando Marías and which was based on the novel by Ramsey Campbell. It saw him win the Melés Award for Best European Feature Film at the Sitges Film Festival and led to the consolidation of his reputation as one of the most promising new talents in fantasy film. Later, he would film O.T. La Película together with Jaume Balagueró, a documentary-film based on the tour of Operación Triunfo, and also RomaSanta, la caza de la bestia (2004), and Cuento de Navidad (2006).

In 2016 he directs an episode of the successful series on Channel 1, El Ministerio del Tiempo and the film Verónica starring Sandra Escacena which is nominated for 7 Goya Awards.

In 2018, he filmed the movie Quien a hierro mata, starring Luis Tosar. Shortly after, he embarked on his next film, La Abuela, which was released in 2021. He also directed the second episode of the first season of Historias para no dormir.

He will soon release the short film The Same as a screenwriter and director. His latest feature film is Hermana muerte, a mystery and horror film about a nun with hidden powers, which will be available on Netflix in autumn 2023.

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Paco Plaza with the actor Àlex Monner at the shooting of Rec 3. Genesis, 2012
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Paco Plaza at the shooting of Rec 3. Genesis, 2012

MOVIES
HERMANA MUERTE · 2023 [Director]
LA ABUELA · 2021 [Director]
EYE FOR AN EYE · 2018 [Director, Writer]
VERONICA · 2017 [Director, Writer]
REC 3. GÉNESIS · 2013 [Director, Writer]
REC 2 · 2009 [Co-Director with Jaume Balagueró, Writer]
REC · 2007 [Co-Director with Jaume Balagueró, Writer]
CUENTO DE NAVIDAD · 2006 [Director]
ROMASANTA, THE WEREWOLF HUNT · 2004 [Director]
SECOND NAME · 2002 [Co-Director with Jaume Balagueró]
O.T. LA PELÍCULA · 2002 [Director]

SHORT FILMS
THE SAME · 2023 [Director, Guionista]
D.E.V.: DISFRUTE EN VIDA · 2020 [Co-Director con Daniel Sánchez Arévalo]
ULTRAVIOLETA · 2014 [Director, Writer]
LUNA DI MIELE, LUNA DI SANGE VII · 2010 [Director, Writer]
LO SIENTO, TE QUIERO · 2010 [Director, Writer]
PUZZLES · 2001 [Director, Writer]
ABUELITOS · 1999 [Director, Writer]
TARZÁN EN EL CAFÉ DE LISBOA · 1997 [Director, Writer]
TROPISMOS · 1995 [Director, Writer]

SCREENPLAYS
LLAGAS · 2012 [Dir. Miguel Ángel Font Bisier]
CUARENTENA TERMINAL · 2011 [Dir. John G. Pogue]
QUARANTINE · 2008 [Dir. John Erick Dowdle]

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
San Sebastián Film Festival: Golden Shell for Best Film, Nominee · La abuela
Feroz Awards: Best Dramatic Film, Nominee · QUIEN A HIERRO MATA
Goya Awards: Best Original Screenplay, Nominee · VERÓNICA
Goya Awards: Best Director, Nominee · VERÓNICA
Goya Awards: Best Film, Nominee · VERÓNICA
Feroz Awards: Best Dramatic Film, Nominee · VERÓNICA
Feroz Awards: Best Director, Nominee · VERÓNICA
Feroz Awards: Best Screenplay, Nominee · VERÓNICA
CEC Awards: Best Original Screenplay · VERÓNICA
Reaper Award: Foreign Indie Production · REC
Gérardmer International Fantastic Film Festival: Jury Prize · REC
Fantasporto Film Festival: Best Film · REC
Sitges Film Festival: Best Director · REC
Sitges Film Festival: Best Film, Nominee · REC
Málaga Film Festival: Best Director, Nominee · ROMASANTA, LA CAZA DE LA BESTIA

TRAINING
Directing · ECAM Escuela de Cinematografía y del Audiovisual de la Comunidad de Madrid
Audiovisual Communication · Universidad de Valencia